YouTube parsing as a tool for analyzing public stance

Abstract

Purpose, main directions and ideas of the research: the purpose of the study is to analyze the public sentiment in Kazakhstan. YouTube was used as a research object due to its openness, independence and popularity. Brief description of scientific and practical significance of the work: in Kazakhstan's scientific literature this topic has not yet been addressed by means of automated text mining tools.This work opens prospects for creating effective strategies of interaction between the government and society on the basis of real opinions and wants of citizens. Brief description of the research methodology: the authors parsed comments on one of the key videos by independent citizen journalist Askhat Niyazov, who has recently gained popularity in Kazakhstan. The dataset was subjected to the analysis of word frequency and relationship, as well as the sentiment of the text. Main results and analysis, conclusions of the research: the study found that the majority of commentators had a generally positive attitude to the content of the video and / or to the topic under discussion, they rated the activities of the Akim of Astana positively, and the content aroused interest and support among the audience. Value of the study: the study reveals the diversity of opinions, reactions and attitudes of YouTube users in Kazakhstan. The analysis of the comments emphasizes the relevance of the discussed political and environmental issues and the audience's need for dialog. Practical significance of the results: the study can be useful for understanding public attitudes and how involved citizens are in the debates on topical issues, as well as for assessing the influence of journalists and content on the shaping of public sentiment.